Monthly Archives: October 2012

So far college and high school have their similarities and their differences. Although, most the changes are not too pronounced, they are still there.
More freedom? Count me in. Whenever I was in high school, we were not allowed to leave the premises for any reason at all during the day, but in college, you essentially can come and go as you please. Any time during the day, the library is open, you can meet with teachers, get help with classes in the tutoring center, leave class early if need be, and things the like, rather than how high school was set up, having to have a note/pass to do anything. But alas, with freedom comes great responsibility.

Ever wonder how one’s responsibility changes once in college? Well, while in high school there was always usually somebody there to say what can and can’t be done in means of homework, attire, leaving school, missing classes, and etc., but with college there’s much more leniency. There is no one to tell you what has to be done other than oneself. All the responsibility is taken on without somebody holding his or her hand along the way. If you don’t want to go to class, don’t. If you feel that you don’t need to do the homework, there’s no need to. Although, like high school, missing class can be detrimental and not doing an assignment can still impact the classes’ grades, but unlike high school, you’re paying for the classes you’re taking (unless you happened to go to a private school), so you’d probably want to try a lot harder and aim for success. Nobody would want to pay for the same class over and over if he or she kept failing.

There are also other aspects of responsibility that I face like balancing a job with a greater work load, trying to cover the costs that are adjunct with college, and just being an “adult” in general. It all really depends on what you personally feel that has to be done and has to be maintained in order to balance everything– everyone’s responsibilities will be different.
Also, other than just freedom and responsibility, there are also other chances like the amount of people who are actually going to the school, because I know that from my small high school of probably about 700 kids total, CCBC has many, many more, almost 2,000 more students, which is a big difference. But one would think that with more students in the school means less attention from teachers, that’s actually not the case. So, like high school, all of my teachers at the moment in time are willing to get to know their students and try to give them one-on-one time if needed, which is a great aspect to have that has not changed from being in high school than in college. I’m sure every student wants a teacher to get to know them and how he or she works and if he or she needs help on any given subject.

To conclude, high school and college both have their differences, but that is to be expected. College is a gateway to greater learning and new challenges and greater responsibility, for those people who are willing to work towards their future success no matter what they’re faced with along the way.

I know for me this is an issue that sometimes I struggle with. My classes are all day on Monday and Wednesday. That leaves the rest of the week for my job, which I work at about 25-30 hours a week. Then I have family events. I am very close with all of my family and we have a lot of athletes that I love to support. Sometimes I find myself faced with decisions like do I stay home and study or go to a baseball game? I am extremely lucky to have a boss and a manager who understand the demands of school and are willing to work with me. Once I get my work done, I am allowed to do homework or study. Some would think that wouldn’t help, but it does! Being able to do homework at work is great for me! I am one of those people who cannot do school work in complete silence so when the radio is playing at work that is perfect for me. I find actually studying while working to be a little hard, but as long as I get my homework done I can use my other time for studying.

However, I am not always able to get everything done at work because sometimes I am busy. So, when this happens, I have a problem. I’ve learned that my school work needs to come first and this is hard for me. I love to spend time with my family, but if I have school work, I make sure it is done first. If I know there is a volleyball game or baseball game in the evening, I will sometimes set my alarm for an hour early and get up and study or do school work. I am very much a morning person so this works for me. If you are an evening person, try turning off the TV or coming home an hour earlier than you normally would and study during that time. Or if that isn’t an option, try to get up early in the morning. Once you get used to it, you will be fine! If you know you have an event in the evening, such as a baseball game, take your homework with you and do it during the down times. If you have work all day, do some during your breaks. I know that is the last thing you want to do during your breaks, but even if it is 15 minutes of something it will help later on!

I am also very big on using a planner. I write everything I need to do and when it needs done in my planner! This allows me to see when I have free time for studying. Sometimes I even schedule school work time. This time will be dedicated to just focusing on school. Sundays are my slow days. My work place is closed and there is no school. While yes I enjoy my relaxing Sunday, I often get a lot done on Sundays. I will go to church and then come home and do some work for a few hours. That still leaves me all evening to relax and prepare for the day. I know many people think people who do school work on Sundays are putting it off to the last minute, but that’s not how I look at it because I know what needs to done and I do it! If you see that you are going to have a free day, don’t plan events for the whole day. Make sure you add study time. I know finding time to get everything in, but it is doable and it is doable without going crazy. You can spend enough time on school and still have time for work and family and friends. Just plan out your days and stay organized!